engleski

Yield and yield components of maize (Zea Mays L.) hybrids as affected by irrigation scheduling and meteorological conditions

During the last decade eastern Republic of Croatia have experienced several drought and flood events which seriously affected not only the crop production but also the effectiveness of irrigation practice, meaning irrigation scheduling and water use efficiency. Th is study was conducted to quantify the effect of irrigation scheduling on yield and yield components (hectolitre weight (HW), 1000-grain weight, cob weight (CW), cob length (CL), cob height (CH), grain weight (GW) and grain number/cob (GN/C) of maize (Zea Mays L.) hybrids during three growing seasons (2010 – 2012) characterised by extreme weather conditions. Th e study was conducted at the research site of Agricultural Institute in Osijek, Croatia. Three irrigation treatments (a1 = rainfed, a2 = 60 – 100% field water capacity (FWC), a3 = 80 – 100% FWC) and four maize hybrids (b1 = OSSK 596 ; b2 = OSSK 617 ; b3 = OSSK 602 ; b4 = OSSK 552) were studied. During the study grain yield ranged from 7.4 t ha-1 (2012, a1) to 10.3 t ha-1 (2012, a3) and was yearly-dependent. In 2010 irrigation significantly reduced CW (a1 = 0.8 kg ; a3 = 0.7 kg), CH (a1 = 72 cm, a3 = 38 cm), 1000-GW (a1 = 284 g ; a3 = 254 cm) and CL (a1 = 16 cm ; a3 = 15 cm). In 2011 irrigation significantly increased only 1000-GW (a1 = 305 g ; a3 = 330 g) while in 2012 irrigation increased all tested yield components as follows: 1000-GW (a1 = 340 g ; a2 = 361 g) ; CH (a1 = 116 cm ; a2 = 126 cm) ; CW (a1 = 1, 15 kg ; a3 = 1, 79 kg), GN/C (a1 = 578 ; a2 = 701) and HW (a1 = 67 kg ; a3 = 69 kg). As for maize hybrids (b), according to results of our study yield of maize grain varied (p<0.01) across tested hybrids in all three growing seasons while the significance for tested yield components was year dependent.

maize hybrids ; yield ; yield components ; irrigation ; climate change

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